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HB 2567MISSOURISession 2026State Billin committee

Missouri bill reclassifies hobby and show breeders as commercial breeders under Animal Care Facilities Act

Original title: COMMERCIAL DOG BREEDERS

Last action · May 15, 2026: Referred: Emerging Issues(H)Sponsor: David Tyson Smith

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

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What This Bill Would Do

House Bill 2567 removes hobby and show breeders from the exemption under Missouri's Animal Care Facilities Act, including them in the definition of s and subjecting them to licensing and regulation.

Why it matters

Changes regulatory requirements for hobby and show breeders in Missouri who maintain up to ten s, bringing them under rules that were previously reserved for larger operations.

Background

David Tyson Smith serves as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives, representing District 46. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

hobby or show breeders

Hobby and show breeders are included in the definition of commercial breeders and lose their prior exemption from licensure and inspection requirements.

Directly affected

Department of Agriculture

The department is barred from utilizing nonprofit personnel for facility inspections and licensing.

Key Facts

Removes the exclusion of hobby or show breeders from the definition of 'commercial breeder'.
Redefines 'hobby or show breeder' as a breeder having no more than ten intact females whose primary purpose is exhibiting, showing, improving the breed, or selling to other breeders or individuals.
Eliminates the exemption that previously excused hobby or show breeders from the licensure and inspection requirements of sections 273.325 to 273.357.
Removes the requirement for the director to develop a no-cost annual registration form specifically for hobby or show breeders.

Show all 7 facts

Maintains the exemption for persons engaged in breeding dogs and cats who harbor three or less intact females.
Prohibits the Department of Agriculture from utilizing personnel from nonprofit organizations for the inspection or licensing of animal shelters, pounds, boarding kennels, commercial kennels, contract kennels, commercial breeders, or pet shops.
Specifies that operating an animal shelter, pound, boarding kennel, commercial kennel, contract kennel, pet shop, or exhibition facility, or acting as a commercial breeder or dealer without a valid license constitutes a class A misdemeanor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualifies as a hobby or show breeder under this bill?

A hobby or show breeder is defined as a non who breeds dogs or cats with the primary purpose of exhibiting or showing them, improving the breed, or selling them, and who has no more than ten s.

Are breeders with very few animals still exempt?

Yes, persons engaged in breeding dogs and cats who harbor three or less s remain exempt from the provisions of sections 273.325 to 273.357.

Does the bill change who can perform inspections for animal facilities?

The bill explicitly prohibits the Department of Agriculture from retaining, contracting with, or utilizing personnel from nonprofit organizations for the inspection or licensing of facilities like animal shelters, pounds, or s.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

4 actions

May 15, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
Jan 8, 2026HouseFloor
Read Second Time (H)
Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced
Read First Time (H)
Dec 22, 2025HouseIntroduced
Prefiled (H)

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Elimination of Hobby Breeder Exemption

The legislation shifts state policy from exempting hobby and show breeders from licensing and inspection to treating them under commercial breeder standards.

Department of Agriculture General Assembly

Connected Entities

Joseph Engler, General Assembly, Department of Agriculture and 1 more

PersonJoseph Engler“Chief Clerk of the House”Map →

OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Legislative body of the state of Missouri”Map →

OrganizationDepartment of Agriculture“State department responsible for animal care facility licensing and inspections”Map →

OrganizationUnited States Department of Agriculture“Federal agency referenced for housing and care regulations”Map →

Sources

Open source document

house.mo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance55
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy60
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

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